The purpose of this article is to establish standards for placing
and retaining groundcover, shrubs and trees to enhance the visual
appearance of the Township, to establish visually appealing buffers
between lots and disparate uses, and to provide for environmental
and health benefits related to such features.
This article applies to all nonagricultural uses, regardless of zoning district; provided that, except for the street tree requirement found in § 110-704, this article does not apply to individual residential lots that are not proposed as part of a proposed residential subdivision.
A landscape plan, prepared by a registered and licensed landscape
architect (signed, sealed and bearing the registration number), depicting
the landscaping proposed to meet the requirements and standards of
this article, shall be submitted for Township review and approval
with the earliest submitted application for a zoning permit or land
development, except for:
As part of the creation of a new lot for any use or the construction
of a new principal nonresidential building, deciduous shade street
trees shall be planted or existing deciduous trees preserved adjacent
to a public street.
A.
Number. A minimum average of one such tree shall be planted for each
50 feet of length of street right-of-way adjacent to the lot.
B.
Location.
(1)
Such trees shall be placed immediately outside of the ultimate street right-of-way at a location also meeting the following minimum distances from sidewalks, curbs and parking stalls, except as provided in Subsection B(2) below.
(2)
Such street trees shall be planted/located in a manner approved
by the Township Engineer to avoid conflicts with pedestrian ways,
utilities and stormwater management facilities.
C.
Species. Only the species of trees listed in Appendix A to this chapter
shall be allowed as street trees.
D.
Buffer. Where trees may be required under the buffer area provisions
of this chapter, the same tree may be used to count towards both requirements.
As part of the creation of a parking lot or parking area for
a new use, new principal nonresidential building or a new land development,
the following landscaping requirements apply.
A.
A minimum of one deciduous tree shall be required for every 15 new off-street parking spaces. Except as required by Subsection B below, the trees may be planted around the perimeter of the parking area.
B.
For 30 or more new parking spaces, landscaped islands shall be provided
within the parking area. One deciduous tree shall be planted on each
landscaped island.
C.
For more than 50 off-street parking spaces, a minimum of 5% of the
interior of the parking area shall be landscaped.
The following requirements shall apply to landscaping within
and around stormwater management basins:
A.
The edges, floors and slopes of the stormwater management basins
shall be planted with plant materials which may include grasses, perennials
and shrubs specifically suited for stormwater basins and expected
wet conditions.
B.
Trees and shrubs shall be planted around stormwater basins in locations
that would not interfere with the design and function of the basin.
No tree may be placed on the embankment of the basin at a point above
the base of the basin. A minimum average of two trees and 10 shrubs
shall be required to be planted around the basin for every 100 linear
feet of perimeter at the top of the basin.
Plantings proposed or otherwise required by this article shall
meet the following standards:
A.
Type of plantings permitted. Required plantings shall principally
be of a species native to Pennsylvania and appropriate to the conditions
of the lot, including, but not limited to, shaded areas or within
or adjacent to impervious surfaces. Plantings shall be resistant to
disease, road salt and air pollution and be attractive and sturdy.
B.
Variety of plantings. Planting selection shall be varied by species
and distribution to achieve a more natural appearance and to establish
bloom, leaf or needle cover continuously throughout the year.
C.
Quality of plantings. All plantings, proposed or otherwise required,
shall be of symmetrical growth and free of insect pests and disease.
D.
E.
Planting. Required plantings shall:
(1)
Be planted in conformance with good landscaping practices, including
soil supplementation and mulch, and with adequate unpaved surface
around each for water and air and irrigation to maximize survivability
and to allow for expected growth of the particular species;
(2)
In parking lot islands and landscape beds next to buildings,
be planted only in areas excavated of all building materials and poor
soils to a depth of 12 inches to 18 inches and backfilled with good,
medium-textured planting soils;
(3)
Be properly protected by curbs, curb stops, distance, or other
devices against damage from vehicles;
(4)
Include a four-foot minimum radius vegetative area around all
sides of the trunk of each required deciduous tree within or adjacent
to a parking lot or other impervious surface;
(5)
Where planted on berms, to the maximum extent feasible, such
berms shall have dimensions and slopes that establish growing conditions
suitable for the trees and shrubs proposed or required to be placed
on the top or side of the berm; and
(6)
Where planted in areas intended to be mowed, to the maximum
extent feasible such planted areas shall have a maximum slope ratio
of 3:1.
A.
The intent of the buffer area requirements and standards is to minimize
impacts of the use on adjacent lots, including visual, noise, odor,
and debris/dust/sediment/particulate emissions impacts.
B.
A buffer area complying with the following standards shall be required,
unless a more restrictive provision is established by another section
of this chapter.
C.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, whichever requirement
is larger:
(1)
A buffer area of no less than 15 feet shall be required along
the ultimate street right-of-way line of any lot proposed for a principal
use other than a single-family detached dwelling or an agriculture
use; provided that such buffer shall be increased to 30 feet for a
use exceeding 25,000 square feet in floor area; a heavy manufacturing
use; a use having a loading area/dock or outdoor storage area visible
from the public street; or a use involving overnight parking of tractor
trailers.
(2)
A buffer area of no less than 15 feet shall be required along
the side and rear lot lines of any lot proposed for a principal use
other than a single-family detached dwelling or an agriculture use;
provided that, where such side or rear line is adjacent to a lot improved
with a dwelling or an unimproved lot in a residential zoning district,
such buffer shall be increased to 30 feet for a nonresidential use
exceeding 25,000 square feet; a heavy manufacturing use; a use having
a side or rear loading area or dock, outdoor equipment storage area
or outdoor storage area; or a use involving overnight parking of tractor
trailers.
(3)
Historic building — See § 110-402T(2)(c).
(4)
Historic district.
(a)
Where a lot within an historic district is proposed for nonresidential
use or structure:
[1]
A buffer of no less than 25 feet or of a depth otherwise required
by this chapter, whichever is greater, shall be established along
the lot frontage; and
[2]
A buffer of no less than 15 feet or of a depth otherwise required
by this chapter, whichever is greater, shall be established along
the side and rear property line.
(b)
Where a lot adjacent to an historic district is proposed for
nonresidential use or structure:
[1]
A buffer of no less than 25 feet or of a depth otherwise required
by this chapter, whichever is greater, shall be established along
the lot frontage; and
[2]
A buffer of no less than 15 feet or of a depth otherwise required
by this chapter, whichever is greater, shall be established along
the side and rear property line that abuts the historic district.
D.
The buffer area shall be measured from the lot line or ultimate street
right-of-way line, whichever is applicable.
E.
A required setback may overlap a required buffer area, provided that
each requirement is met.
F.
The buffer area shall be free of structures, dumpsters or other types
of solid waste management facilities, storage, manufacturing or processing
activity, and parking and loading areas.
[Amended 9-3-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-05]
G.
The buffer area may include access drives, utilities and stormwater
management facilities as determined to be necessary (without a siting
alternative) and only to the extent such improvements cross the buffer
yard at a perpendicular angle.
H.
A buffer area shall be planted to establish a visual screen meeting
the following requirements:
(1)
Plants shall be of such species, spacing and size as can reasonably
be expected to produce a visual screen. Plantings should be distributed
throughout the buffer area in a naturalistic pattern.
(2)
Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the fifteen-foot buffer area required by Subsection C shall be planted with a minimum of four deciduous trees (with a mature height exceeding 20 feet), two evergreen trees (with a mature height exceeding 12 feet), and six shrubs (with a mature height of a minimum of three feet) per 100 linear feet.
(3)
Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, the thirty-foot buffer area required by Subsection C shall be planted with eight deciduous trees (with a mature height exceeding 20 feet), four evergreen trees (with a mature height exceeding 12 feet) and 12 shrubs (with a mature height of three feet) shall be provided per 100 linear feet.
(4)
Where not planted with trees or shrubs, the remainder of the
buffer area shall be groundcover, mulch, rock or similar landscape
material.
(5)
The planted visual screen shall be continuous, except for as provided in Subsection G above and to comply with sight distance requirements.
(6)
The buffer area shall be designed to provide a natural-looking
visual element, including a mix of species and spacing. Monotonous
rows of plantings and the use of a single repeated species of plantings
is discouraged. American Arborvitae and similar weak-stem plants shall
not be used to meet the buffer area requirements.
(7)
If existing healthy trees with a trunk diameter of six inches
or greater (measured 4.5 feet above the ground level) exist within
the buffer area, they shall be preserved to the maximum extent feasible
to meet the same purposes as the new plant requirement.
(8)
The Board of Supervisors, upon recommendation of the Planning
Commission, may approve alternative buffer area designs and locations
that serve the same purpose, particularly when necessary because of
unique site conditions.
(9)
A buffer area shall be kept free of solid waste and noxious
weeds.
At street intersections, a clear sight triangle shall be maintained
free of obstructive plantings. The term "obstructive plantings" shall
be understood to be any planting of a species, size, or natural or
maintained condition which interferes with the view of the driver
of a motorized vehicle of traffic conditions at an intersection of
a street (public or private) with another street (public or private),
access drive or driveway.
Where landscaping is required by this article, the applicant
shall submit a scaled landscaping plan that shows:
A.
Proposed species, location and initial sizes of all new plantings,
inclusive of groundcover;
B.
Proposed species, location and size of all existing plantings to
be retained;
C.
Existing and proposed structures and utilities on the lot;
D.
Location and features of an irrigation system, if proposed; and
E.
Details for maintenance.
A.
All buffer area and other landscaping required by this article shall
be perpetually maintained by the lot owner. Any landscaping needed
to meet a requirement of this article that dies, is removed, or is
severely damaged shall be replaced by the then-current lot owner as
soon as is practical considering the next available growing seasons
but not to exceed 180 days.
B.
Required plantings shall be pruned in accordance with generally accepted
standards (time and manner) to maintain plantings in good health and
condition.
C.
Required plantings shall be kept in a relatively weed-free condition,
free of solid waste and free of noxious weeds.
